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MIL-STD-810G Used to Prove Whether IT Equipment is Rugged Enough

Although it was developed by the United States military, MIL-STD-810 is a test methodology that is used by many manufacturers now, regardless of whether they plan to sell to the U.S. Department of Defense.

MIL-STD-810G allows for tailoring an equipment’s environmental design and test limits to the conditions that it will experience, also known as ruggedizing a product.

Depending on the ruggedness requirement of a product (dictated by where and how it will be used), models have different pass criteria.

Industry ExampleWithin the computer laptop industry, three marketing categories are used to characterize the durability of business laptops: business-rugged, semi-rugged, and fully rugged.

While these categories are not fully defined, they are generally separated by the number of MIL-STD tests passed and the severity of the testing parameters.

Semi-Rugged
Semi-rugged devices feature additional protection including display protection, outdoor viewable display and port covers. They go through the same tests as business-rugged laptops, but are exposed for a longer test period, or have higher pass criteria.

Fully Rugged
Fully rugged laptops have to survive the most extreme conditions. These systems must withstand higher drops, more vibration, temperature shocks, intense rain, salted fog, explosive atmosphere, blowing sand/dust and function at a wider range of temperatures than less rugged devices.